Beneficial Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)-Based Biotransformation of Plant and Dairy Substrates to Enhance Type 2 Diabetes-Relevant Health Benefits

Abstract

The biotransformation of plant- and dairy-based food substrates using fermentation with beneficial microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is an effective strategy to improve the human health–relevant nutritional and functional properties of foods and beverages. Since early civilization, fermentation with beneficial microorganisms has been used to enhance shelf-life, reduce microbial spoilage, and to add favorable flavor and aroma to foods and beverages. However, improved understanding of diverse health benefits such as probiotic-linked human gut health benefits and other chronic disease protective functionalities of traditional and modern fermented foods and beverages have attracted renewed interest in recent times. Beyond the formation of organic acids and alcohol, biotransformation of plant and dairy substrates by beneficial microorganisms leads to the formation of diverse human health–relevant bioactive molecules or bio-available end-products in fermented foods and beverages. Such improvements in the mobilization and bioavailability of bioactive molecules of plant and dairy substrates after fermentation has relevance for the targeting of preventable non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs). Based on this rationale, recent advances in beneficial LAB-based biotransformations of plant and dairy substrates that improve NCD-linked health benefits of fermented foods and beverages are presented in this chapter.